Automobile.



m W. 1 I Wk m Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

, 3 SHEETS SIUQET 1.

E. B. BLISS.

AUTOM OBILE. APPLICATIOH FILED JUNE 11, 1913 B. B. BLISS.

AUTOMOBILE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE-11.1913.

1,1 31,034. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

3 SHBETS SHBET 2.

: i i E;

LZZH mmmmmnnnm- B. B. BLISS.

AUTOMOBILE.

APPLIUATION rum) JUNK. n. 1912 1,131,034. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS SHEET UNITED STATES PATENT GFEICE.

ELLIS B. BLISS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMOBILE.

Application filed June 11, 1913.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELLIS B. Brass, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automobiles and pertains particularly to the spring connection between the body of the car and the wheel axles.

The object of my-invention is to so arrange the springs of an automobile that a sudden rebound of the body of the automobile is prevented to a great extent and yet provides the proper resiliency necessary for the easy riding of the car.

Another object of my invention is' to provide a simple, cheap and more effective ar-.

rangement of the springs, having certain details of structure hereinafter more tully described.

In the accompanying drawmgs-F1gure l is a side elevation-of an automobile having six wheels embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1, showing the body of the car removed; Fig. 3 is a front view of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bearing brackets for vertically and movahly mounting the center axle; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents the body of an automobile which is provided with a longitudinal bar 2 and 3 at each side and which extends beyond the for ward and rear ends of the autonmbile frame.

In the form of, automobile shown in Figs. 1 and? of the drawings, 1 provide drop axles 4 and the usual straight rear drive axles 5 and 6, which are connected together by longitudinal telescoping bars 7 and 8, carried in a rigid frame comprising longitudinal tubular members having crossbrace bars 9, 10, 11 and 12, as shown in Fig. '2 of the drawings, and which, together with the axles, form a rectangular frame, on which the axles are adjustable toward or from each other by the telescoping action of the members. The two ,fOlWIl'd. axles l and 5 are provided with knuckle joints '13 and -14 which carry the axle spindles .5 and 16, carrying the wheels 17 and 18. l'he hnuchle joints l3 and 1 L are connected by the bars 9 and ZOand the forward knuckle joints have connected thereto the steering rods Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5- 1915.

Serial No. 772,980.

and 22, and are connected to the steering post in the usual manner, whereby the two of forward wheels are moved by the steering wheel for steering the vehicle:

The two longitudinal side bars 2 and 3, carried by the body of the vehicle. heretofore described, extend beyond the bodv and are carried downwardly. Pivotally con nected to the forward end of the bars are arms 23 and, 2 which extend rearwardly and are swingingly attached to the forward drop axle 4. connection of the arms therewith, is nrovided with downwardly and slightly {U1 rwardly extending arms 25 and 2h, which have swinging movement with the axle. Connected to the lower ends of the arms 25 and 26 are springs 27 and 28, which are of the ordinary lea'tform. The connection of the said springs with the arms 25 and Z6 is a swinging one, and the rear ends of the springs have a like swinging connection with the arms and 30, carried by the axle,

wardly extending arms 33 and 3%, with which the springs and 36 have a swinging (7011mm tion, the said springs having at their rear ends a swinging connection with the arms 37 and 53 carried by the rear axle 6 These springs 35) and 36, at their center, have rigidly connected thereto, springs 39 and 40, which extend rearwardly and engage the underi'ace of the side bars 13 and 3. The rear axle (l is provided'with pivoted bars 41 and 42, which extend rearwardly and are pivotnlly connected to the downwardly turned ends of the side bars and 23.

By the structure shown and described, it will be seen that the body of the automobile is sup mrtcd normally by the springs 31 and 3:2 and the springs and 4-0 \Vhen any weight is placed within the body, or the same is caused to move downwardly by trav cling over rough roads the springs 31, 3-2, 39 and 40 are compressed and the side bars 2 and 3 travel downwardly, and the urine pivotally connected thereto are moved down wardly and rocked on the forward axle 4. and the rear axle ii. The springs 2T, 28, 35 and 3t": engage the arms carried by the The said axle adjacent to it has been necessary for the central axle 5 to have a vertical movement independent of the body of the car, so that, in pass ng over uneven ground, thecentral wheels Wlll at all .times contact with the ground and at the same time allow the rear and forward wheels toremain upon the ground. Th1s vertical movement on very uneven ground has been found to be considerable, and in order to prevent the support from extending below the axle to any extent, I have-provided the 1 bearing bracket 43, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The brackets 43, as shown, are secured to the underside of the longitudinal side bars 2 and 3. Each bracket is provided at its center with a vertical slot 44, which extends entirely through the lower face thereof. The vertical walls of said slot are grooved, as shown in dot ed linesin Fig. 5 of the drawings, and in'the groove is the vertically slidable member 45, to the lower end of which are secured the springs 46 and 47, the upper ends of the springs being secured to the lugs. 46 and 47' carried by the brackets to hold the member in its uppermost position. The members 45 have lugs 45 at their upper ends to engage a lug or flange at. the lower end of thebrackets to prevent the same from sliding out of the rackets. Said members .45 have a closed slot 48 therethrough, in which is mounted the bearing block 49 through which the axle 5 passes, the said block being free to move vertically within the slot.

From the structure thus described, it will be apparent that, when the automobile comes upon uneven ground and the springs 27, 28, 35 and 36 force the central axle downwardly, the bearing block 49 engages the lower end of the slot 48 and forces the member downwardly beyond the bracket against the tension of the springs 46 and 47, such action taking place when the ground under the front and the rear wheels is higher than that between the same. When the ground is higher between the rear and front wheels, the bearing block 48 rides upward within the slot in the member 45, and thus the center wheels are at all times on the ground, while at the same time preventing the front and rear wheels from being lifted from the ground by the center wheels.

It will be appreciated that the principles of my invention may be applied to a 'vehicle having four wheels, wherein the shock and vibration of the wheels caused by uneven ground may be absorbed by springs of the structure shown.

Having thusjfully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A wheeled vehicle, comprising a frame consisting of longitudinal bars comprising telescoping members, cross axles carried In said frame and adjustable toward or from each other through the movement of telescoping members of said bars, springs swingingly carried on the axles, and a body frame mounted on said springs.

'2. A wheeled vehicle, comprising tubular longitudinal members having longitudinal bars telescoping therewith at each end, cross axles mounted on said movable telescoping bars, depending arm's pivotally mounted on said axles, springs swingingly carried on said arms, and a body frame mounted on said s rings.

3. wheeled vehicle comprising a frame of telescoping tubular longitudinal members, cross axles mounted on said telescoping members, depending arms pivotally mounted on said axles, forwardly and rearwardly extending links pivotally carried by the front and rear axles respectively and pivotally connected to the body of the vehicle, springs swingingly carried on said depending arms and a body frame mounted on said springs and links.

4. In a wheeled vehicle the combination with a rigid frame comprising longitudinal tubular members having cross braces, longitudinally extending bars, movably carried in said tubular members, a cross axle mounted onsaid rigid frame and cross axles mounted on said movable bars, depending arms ivotally mounted on said axles, springs swmgingly carried on said arms between the axles, links pivotally mounted on said front and rear axles extending forwardly and rearwardly respectively, and a body frame pivotally mounted on said links and springs.

5. In a wheeled vehicle, the combination with a frame of telescoping tubular longitudinal members, cross axles carried on the ends of the movable members thereof and an intermediate cross axle carried on the rigid portion thereof, depending arms pivotally mounted on said axles, leaf springs pivotally carried on said arms between the axles, u wardly extending springs, carried b sald first mentioned springs, horizontal lin s pivotally mounted on said front and rear axles extending forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, and a body frame mounted on said links and springs.

6. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a frame of telescoping tubular longitudinal members, wheel axles carried on the ends of the movable members of said frame and an intermediate wheel axle mounted on the rigid portion thereof, depending arms pivotally mounted on said axles, leaf springs swingingly carried on said arms between the axleeyleaf springs rigidly carried by said first mentioned springs intermediatetheir I ends extendin forwardly and rearwardly and engagmi the under face of the body frame of the ve i frontamd rear axles, extending forwardly and rearwardly, and side bars on the veincle body having downwardly turned ends pivotally connected with said links, and bearing intermediate their ends upon said second mentioned springs.

8. An automobile, comprising a front and rear axle, brackets intermediate the axles,

members sliding in the said brackets, sprin s for normally holding the members in their uppermost position in the brackets, bearing blocks in the said members, and a third axle Within the said bearing blocks, substantially as shown and described.

9. An automobile, comprising a front and cle horizontal links pivotally mounted on said rear axle, brackets intermediate the axles, members sliding in the said brackets, sprin for normally holding the members in their uppermost osition within the brackets, bearing bloc within the said member a third axle mounted in said bearing'blocks, and springs connecting the center axles with the forward and rear axles and normally ex- 612211 118 a downward pressure on the center a e. 1

10. A wheeled vehicle, comprising a bod frame, brackets mounted on said frame, sli

ingmembers carried in said brackets, axlebearing blocks sliding in said members, and

:cross axles carried in said blocks, substantially as described. I

11. Awheeled vehicle, comprising a body frame, brackets mounted thereon, sliding members carried in said brackets, sprin s for normally holding said members in their uppermost osition in the brackets, axlebearing bloc s carried in said slidable members, and cross axles carried in said blocks.

, ELLIS B. BLISS. \Vitnesses: a H. J. F INDLE,

' R. H. YOUNG. 

